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The article presents advice to financial professionals on how to communicate with their clients.

The article reports on the list of top losers among mutual-fund investors in 2010 compiled by Lipper, which is led by alternative-energy funds including the iShare S&P Global Clean Energy Index exchange-traded fund (TF), Market Vectors Global Alternative Energy and PowerShares Global Clean Energy Portfolio.

This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of closed-end funds.

The article focuses on the volatility index (VIX) of the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), its limitations in predicting whether to buy stocks and its usefulness as a contrarian indicator.

The article focuses on the beliefs of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. chairman Warren Buffett on investing as explained to new investors in his letter to stockholders on February 27, 2010.

The author focuses on the U.S. Dow Jones Industrial Average which is back at 10,000 as of October 2009. He says mutual-fund investors continue to offer their stock funds for sale and purchase bond funds as they seek for more stability. He mentions additional concerns about the future of the financial system being indicated by the bond markets, gold and the dollar. He also notes that Chinese stock prices have increased by over 60% as measured in dollars since the beginning of the year.

The author discusses issues in managing funds. He explains that one must avoid managers who are unknown or unregulated. He notes that one is safe when funds are held separately in custody at a big broker-dealer firm regulated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and backed by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. He advises one to double check investment records that appear too steady over the long term.

The article discusses a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that American workers actually earned less in May than in April, and substantially less than the previous year as of 2008. According to the report, the rising energy and food prices offset any nominal rise in wages. The report urges people to get ahead of food inflation by shopping ahead and to make smart decision on fuel consumption. Data shows that wages are falling behind in most industries with only professional and business service workers able to keep ahead of the rising prices.

The author reflects on the financial crisis being experienced by Bear Stearns. He says that a major bond institution could not sell Treasurys for a bit due to the liquidity crisis. He states that successful investing is not easy but can be achieved by buying low and selling high. He says that the U.S. government should step in and provide liquidity to help the ailing financial market.

The article discusses the benefits to U.S. investors of buying share in large companies that do substantial business overseas. With the dollar declining relative to other currencies, foreign earnings become more valuable. Among U.S. firms that derive more than half of their earnings offshore are Hewlett-Packard Co., Caterpillar Inc., and IBM.

The article presents questions and answers related to real estate, valuation and mortgages in the U.S.

The article focuses on investing in Treasury inflation-protected securities or TIPS in the U.S. The reaction of investors and financial planners to the increase in consumer prices by seeking haven on TIPS influenced the appreciation of its prices. In effect, the bonds were overvalued. TIPS have a guaranteed real yield on top of its consumer-price index which is affected by inflation. The real yield has dropped to a level that may even lead to a negative return. Investors are also advised to study first the situation before investing in TIPS.

The article focuses on the advantages being offered by closed-end municipal bonds for investors seeking a secure long-term income and are investing in a taxable account. It mentions that the municipal bonds pay almost exactly the same interest rate as the U.S. Department of Treasurys. It emphasizes that the income being produced by the bonds is exempt from federal tax.

The article presents the high-quality stocks that offer dividend yields of 3.5% or better as of January 2008. Most of these stocks are Europe-based but multinational in scope and all have depository receipts in New York and easily accessible to U.S. investors. Despite the presence of varying risks, the companies have strong defensive qualities to ride out recession. The list includes pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, telecom giants Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone Group and France Telecom.

US President George Bush has not declared war on Texas just yet but he is sure going to war against Texas Hold 'Em. Last month two more businessmen linked to British online poker firms were rounded up on US soil, as the Justice Department escalates its 'crackdown' on what one Republican lawmaker called 'the evil scourge' of letting adult Americans gamble from home in their pyjamas. UK investors are paying the price. Most online gambling companies are listed in London and since Congress passed the law against them last summer, the industry has been plunged into crisis. Brussels is getting involved. European Commissioner Charlie McCreevy has called the US actions 'protectionist' and said he may take the matter to the World Trade Organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

WILL the real Ben Bernanke stand up? It is a measure of how far President Bush's star has fallen in two months that he was applauded last week simply for appointing a competent and qualified individual to take over the Federal Reserve. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

OIL surged to record highs yesterday, leaping $1.21 to $43.05 a barrel due to the deepening crisis at Russian export giant Yukos. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

SHELL delivered yet another blow to investors yesterday when it agreed to pay a thumping £83m in fines to British and American regulators. The £17m UK penalty is the biggest ever levied by the Financial Services Authority. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

THE best is ahead of us, declares BP boss Lord Browne. Following big long-term investments in Russia and elsewhere, he predicts strong production growth from the second half 'and continuing for many years'. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

VODAFONE directors awarded themselves another £11m in bonuses last night -- just hours after facing down private shareholder outrage over board-room windfalls. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

EUROTUNNEL plunged to a fresh low since April's boardroom coup as the Channel Tunnel operator revealed its half-year cash burn trebled to £31m. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

IN Spanish banking circles he is known as El Caudillo -- 'the strongman.' [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

HIGH-ROLLING gamblers cleaned up at Crockford's casino in Mayfair, west London, last year. They took an extra £14m off the house at the roulette tables, all but wiping out the profits and offsetting all the gains across the rest of parent company Stanley Leisure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

SIR Richard Branson insists that this week's £1bn Virgin Mobile float, which should leave him pocketing at least £400m in cash, is still going ahead. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

FRESH from last week's victory over predator Philip Green, Marks & Spencer chairman Paul Myners is considering staying in his new job permanently. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]